Gujarat: AMC renames ‘Afzal Khan no Tekro’ as ‘Shivaji no Tekro’

On Wednesday, nineteenth October 2022, the Gujarat Top Court docket directed that the Ahmedabad Municipal Company (AMC) decide a couple of illustration made by way of a minority group difficult the renaming of a residential colony from “Afzal Khan No Tekro” to “Shivaji No Tekro” in Ahmedabad. On October 14, the AMC’s the town making plans committee submit a suggestion to vary the identify to “Shivaji No Tekro” and despatched it to the Status Committee for approval. The committee will grasp a gathering on Thursday.

Alternatively, Ahmedabad Sunni Muslim Waqf Committee objected to the identify trade of the world in a letter to AMC, claiming that the world exists for the remaining 400–500 years. The petitioner Waqf is the landlord of the three,116 sq. m. assets in Sarangpur this is positioned reverse the New Fabric Marketplace. Moreover, the website online features a graveyard, a Pir Afzal Khan mosque, and a Pir Afzal Khan “dargah.” In keeping with the Waqf petition, the mosque and “dargah” have essential ancient significance and had been constructed 400–500 years in the past.

Moreover, it was once stated that there are hutments and constructions bordering the mosque and “dargah” that belong to each the Muslim and Hindu populations, a few of whom are encroachers and others being Waqf tenants. The petition claimed that the land owned by way of the Waqf is well known as “Afzal Khan No Tekro” for a very long time. The plea claimed that with out offering it with a listening to likelihood, the AMC committee decided to rename the locality that was once illegitimate and unconstitutional.

Alternatively, the petitioner mentioned on the court docket listening to that the problem raised within the petition is also resolved if the company makes a decision based on its illustration after bearing in mind all related elements. In the end, the court docket rejected the request and ordered the AMC to make a snappy resolution concerning the Waqf committee’s argument inside per week.

Is that this the similar Afzal Khan whom Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj killed?

Alternatively, it isn’t ascertained within the reviews if the Pir Afzal Khan quoted within the petition is equal to the only killed by way of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj or if some self-identified Sufi saint has mushroomed in conjunction with his Mazar. Additionally, the Waqf board is claiming that the mosque at the website online dates again nearly 500 years which is ahead of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in time. However, it seems that, the objection to the identify ‘Shivaji no Tekro’ is most effective since the Hindu king had killed Adilshaha’s commander Afzal Khan with the long-lasting weapon of hand fight – the claws on tenth November 1659.

This Afzal Khan by no means visited Ahmedabad. Alternatively, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj raided Surat – then ruled not directly by way of the Mughals – two times to boost finances for the Hindu Swarajya. Naming some spaces in Ahmedabad after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is no less than price making an allowance for because the King foresaw the growth of the Swarajya, however the tyrant Afzal Khan by no means visited Ahmedabad. For all sensible functions, Afzal Khan has not anything to do with Indian tradition and civilization usually and Gujarat and Ahmedabad specifically.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj killed ‘an Afzal Khan’ within the fight of Pratapgad

On tenth November 1659, the Struggle of Pratapgad was once fought between the forces of the Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Adilshahi basic Afzal Khan, close to the city of Satara, Maharashtra, the place the Marathas emerged victorious regardless of the numbers now not being of their prefer. It ended in the eventual established order of the wonderful Maratha empire. In 1657, Aurangzeb, the Mughal chief with a center of gold as described by way of so-called liberals, determined to go away the Deccan and march northward. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, in his bid to amplify his Maratha empire, began profitable over Konkan and different Adilshahi kingdoms.

Afzal Khan, the commander of the Adilshahi dynasty in Bijapur Sultanate, at this time in Karnataka, took it upon himself to forestall the forces of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He had previous killed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s brother, Sambhaji Shahaji Bhosale, thru treachery when he was once simply 33. Khan began destroying temples (now not sudden). Khan’s technique was once to deliver Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in open within the Deccan plains in opposition to the rocky plateau the place Shivaji had a bonus, and overpower him since they outnumbered the Marathas.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj despatched out an emissary to Khan that he didn’t wish to combat and sought after peace. Khan and Shivaji met at the foothills of Pratapgad. They’d determined to satisfy unarmed with simply 10 bodyguards every, who would keep inside an arrow’s distance from the 2 males. A towering determine, Khan hugged Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, however in a treacherous transfer, attempted to kill him with a sword. Alternatively, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had come armed as neatly and the pressure was once repelled by way of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s armor which was once beneath his garments. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who had hid a bagh nakh (curved blades mounted to a crossbar identical to claws) and disemboweled Khan once they embraced within the tent.

Bagh Nakh used to kill Afzal Khan

Hand-to-hand fight ensued wherein the Marathas, regardless that having been outnumbered by way of Adilshahi forces, emerged victorious. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was once attacked by way of Sayyed Banda, Afzal’s bodyguard, however his depended on bodyguard Jiva Mahala got here to the rescue, slicing him down, and saving Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s existence. Such is the tale of the valor and braveness of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that the Hindu king is revered throughout India. No surprise the Ahmedabad Municipal Company selected his identify over that of Afzal Khan to call a residential colony within the town.